Review: Black Swan

Black Swan is about a ballet dancer's self-destructive quest for perfection. Nina (Natalie Portman) is a driven, hard-working dancer, whose dreams seem to have come true when she is cast as the lead in Swan Lake. But the part involves playing a dual role, and while she finds it easy to play the innocent White Swan, the sensual and seductive Black Swan is more of a challenge. Her controlling and manipulative director (Vincent Cassel) suggests that she is too repressed to play the Black Swan, and, as Nina becomes convinced that a new dancer in the company (Mila Kunis) is out to steal her part, her mind begins to unravel.

It is interesting to compare Black Swan to director Darren Aronofsky's previous film The Wrestler. Both focus on central characters pushing their bodies to extremes, and both are brutal in their depiction of the physicality of their disciplines. Natalie Portman's gaunt physique and shots of her bruised and bleeding toes showed the toll that ballet takes on the body and has the power to make the audience wince just as much as the more violent injuries that Mickey Rourke's character sustained in The Wrestler. However, where The Wrestler was essentially a naturalistic, character-driven film, Black Swan is driven by ideas, symbolism and mythology.

The world that Black Swan presents is heightened, dramatic and full of surreal imagery. There is uncertainty as to which events are real, and which are in Nina's mind. It verges on the melodramatic but I thought it avoided tipping over into silliness because it was well-executed, tense, and with a brilliant performance from Natalie Portman. I don’t believe you have to be in a naturalistic film to give a brilliant  performance – you just have to be totally convincing within the world of the film, and I thought Portman’s performance as nervy perfectionist Nina was spot on.

There is a wonderfully creepy atmosphere throughout the film - I felt very on edge, and came out feeling slightly drained - and there are some moments that genuinely make you jump. The focus on the injuries caused by ballet is nicely carried through with more physically repulsive shots of feathers bursting through skin, and so on. 

However, this is no ordinary thriller - Aronofsky has exploited the White Swan/Black Swan motif to great effect, to highlight the contradictory roles of virgin and whore that women are expected to embody. The director demands that she 'loosen up' in order to dance the Black Swan, but this is less a wish for her to genuinely be herself than an attempt at gaining some creepy sexual gratification for himself. His opposite figure is Nina's equally controlling mother (Barbara Hershey), a former dancer who wishes to mould her daughter into the success she never was. These conflicting pressures are what force Nina down the road to madness. These concepts might sound high-minded and abstract, but they are fully integrated into the drama of the film, making it a completely gripping experience.

My 3D dilemma

This is probably not a great confession to make on a film-related blog but I didn’t see Avatar the first time round. Now it’s back, re-released and even longer, and so the dilemma I had the first time round returned to bug me.

The dilemma was this: if you’re going to pay money to see something at the cinema – and pay the extra cost for 3D at that – you want to be at least fairly confident you’re going to enjoy it. If you’re feeling doubtful, you normally have the option of giving it a miss, safe in the knowledge that you can always watch it on DVD later. However, in the case of Avatar, that’s not such a good option. The main selling point of the film was its cutting-edge effects, so if you’re going to watch it, it might as well be on the big screen in all its 3D glory.

Now, there’s two ways at looking at this situation. One: 3D is a great new way to restore the sense of cinema as an experience, to take us back to the good old days when going to the movies felt special, when it was worth doing for its own sake, as opposed to just waiting for the DVD or downloading a dodgy pirate copy. Two: It’s a big con. The hype about 3D is a way of strong-arming you into paying ten or twelve quid to see something that’s really had pretty mediocre reviews in terms of plot, script, etc. The special effects are its one big selling point and, conveniently enough, they’re just not the same if you choose any of the cheaper viewing options.

I’m still torn by this dilemma, but, in the end, having a day off work and some time to kill, I went by myself to an afternoon showing of the re-released version. Having heard some truly terrible things about it from some people, I had set my expectations pretty low, and so I was actually pleasantly surprised – although, let’s be clear, that’s not exactly saying much. It certainly wasn’t painfully bad. It was just pretty standard Hollywood fare, with big battles, a fairly conventional environmental message, and a racially dubious but fairly common ‘noble savage’ trope. The script was pedestrian, but not as clunky as, say, the new Star Wars films.

My main gripe was the length – I have a very low tolerance for overlong films, even if they’re good. It just seems to show a cavalier disregard for the audience’s comfort: ‘Oh, I know other filmmakers have to stick to a reasonable length, but what I have to say is just so important.’ However, on the plus side – if you can call it that – I wasn’t too gripped to pop out for a toilet break when I needed one. There was a handy montage sequence where the hero is learning to become a Na’vi that was ideal for the purpose.

On the visual side, it delivered everything it promised, and I was pretty happy just to sit and stare at it for a while. Although there was a lot of action, it was nice to see special effects being used for something other than explosions – the world of Pandora was beautifully realised. Vast trees, floating mountains, glow-in-the-dark plants, and stunning flying sequences on the backs of dragon-like creatures all worked wonderfully well with the 3D to create a really immersive world. If only someone could match that kind of attention to detail with a truly great script and characters.

So, after finally watching this film, I’m not sure I’m any closer to resolving how I feel about the 3D revolution. I suppose it’s really no different to any other advance in special effects – it’s all very well, but you simply cannot neglect the other elements of good filmmaking. Avatar did a great job of making the most of the novelty of the technology, but, in future, I’ll probably be making my viewing selections based on something other than whether or not it’s in 3D. If a great film comes along that also happens to be available in a great 3D version – well, that will just be a bonus.

DVD Review: Where the Wild Things Are

It seems amazing that anyone could make a whole film out of Maurice Sendak’s children’s picture book, but writer Dave Eggers and director Spike Jonze have managed to do just that. This is fundamentally a film about childhood – but not an idealised vision of childhood that is innocent and joyful, more a time of life when you’re helpless at the mercy of events, and when emotions can threaten to overwhelm you. The real-world opening is achingly sad, completely involving you in the world of a lonely and troubled little boy. Once the action moves into the fantasy world, the Wild Things he finds there are as childlike as the young hero himself – they crave reassurance, they feel rejected when their friends find other friends, they are playful but their games can quickly turn to squabbles and end in tears. And the film manages to show that the squabbles are not petty, to the Wild Things they feel completely serious and all-consuming.

In many ways, this is a very simple film. The slight plot barely matters – it is all about the world it creates. The world of the Wild Things is visually creative, the characters flawed but engaging and a stunningly beautiful soundtrack by Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs adds a huge amount to the atmosphere, making this film deeply melancholy and hauntingly affecting.

Film Review: Scott Pilgrim vs The World

Yay! I am so relieved that this film lived up to pretty much all my expectations. Edgar Wright has completely understood where the comic books are coming from, has managed to keep in a staggering amount of the plot and supporting characters and has delivered something that should be satisfying even to those not familiar with the books.

Satisfying, that is, so long as they are happy to accept the internal logic of a world where a 22-year-old slacker who plays bass in a garage band can not only be challenged to a series of crazy computer-game-style battles to win the heart of the woman of his dreams, but also rise to the challenge almost without batting an eyelid. If you’re sitting there asking questions like ‘but how did he learn to fight like that?’, this might be the wrong film for you. If you’re willing to immerse yourself in a world where the rules of games, comics and action films can bleed seamlessly into that of twenty-something relationship dilemmas, then you’ll probably fall in love with this film.

The film’s reference points are clearly signalled in its visual style. Pixellated visuals, enemies who expire in a shower of coins, and comic-book-style ‘thunks’ and ‘whumps’ written across the screen all show that we are a long way from reality, most likely somewhere slap bang in the middle of nerd heaven.

Nevertheless, in spite of the sillyness, geekiness and full-on special effects explosions, this is a film with a heart. Michael Cera does a great job as the somewhat dim, yet hugely charming eponymous hero, while Mary Elizabeth Winstead manages to give real depth to his love interest Ramona – no mean feat, given that the plot requires her to be so mysterious that she could come across as having no personality at all in the hands of the wrong actress. The supporting cast are all absolutely spot-on, although special mention should go to Kieran Culkin as Scott’s witty roommate Wallace Wells.

Some plot adjustments have been made to condense the action of the books, which takes place over many months, and make it more straightforward, but it stays true to the spirit of the original and overall is remarkably faithful, especially considering that the sixth and final book was not even out until very recently, when the film must already have been all but completed.

The books had something genuine to say about relationships and growing up, and I think that the film has managed to retain that message and be moving as well as hugely entertaining.

How excited am I about the Scott Pilgrim film?

The answer is, of course, very excited. I have recently finished reading the comics (the sixth and last volume came out a couple of weeks ago) and I loved them. They are funny, touching and, according to Joss Whedon, “the chronicle of our time”.

Although I am normally quite wary about film adaptations of books I have taken to my heart, I have to say, the signs are looking good for this one.

Early reviews after the film’s screening at Comic Con seem positive, and all the clips and trailers online look spot-on to me (Why, yes, I have been watching all that I can find). It seems as though the humour and the comic-book/computer game references have carried over very well. Plus, the more I think about the choice of Edgar Wright as director, the more it makes sense. After all, Scott Pilgrim does have a lot in common with Spaced. Slacker heroes. Geek references. Silly comedy combined with characters you genuinely care about, trying to figure out their lives and relationships.

I only hope Michael Cera does a good job as Scott. He’s known for playing shy and nervous characters, but Scott is hopelessly positive and cheerful. Still, the trailers look promising, and there appears to have been some good casting of the supporting characters (Scott’s friends and the evil exes). I’m sure Jason Schwartzman will be great as Gideon.

So overall, yes, I am super-excited, and I really, really, hope that this film can live up to my expectations.

Film Review: Inception

Inception tells the story of Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), an expert at entering people’s dreams and stealing their secrets. Then he is given a new challenge – to do the opposite, to use his skill to plant an idea in someone’s mind. To do this, he needs to go deep into the dreamer’s subconscious, by creating a dream within a dream within a dream.

This concept makes for a structure as intricate as can be expected from director Christopher Nolan – each level of the dream operates on a different time scale, and events that happen to the sleeper can affect the content of the dream. For example, when the dreamer is falling, there is no gravity in the dream, resulting in one particularly spectacular fight sequence. The interactions between the different levels are well-handled, with enough markers to remind the viewer of what is going on ‘outside’ the dream. Indeed, it is impressive how the film manages to dazzle with its complexity while still not leaving the audience behind.

Nolan also finds hugely imaginative ways to represent the subconscious mind, to visually stunning effect.

DiCaprio, one of my favourite actors, is impressive, and there is a starry supporting cast, including Ken Watanabe, Cillian Murphy, Marion Cotillard, Michael Caine and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Ellen Page gives a mature performance as Cobb’s protégé the aptly-named* Ariadne, a talented trainee architect who he tempts away from her studies to learn to ‘build’ the settings for the dreams he enters. Her character in part serves as a plot device so that the processes of Cobb’s work can be explained to the audience, and to force him to face up to the past that is haunting him, but she brings a depth to the role, and there are some great sequences as she learns to manipulate the landscape of dreams, discovering the joy of “pure creation”.

*Ariadne was a character in Greek myth who guided Theseus out of the labyrinth of the Minotaur.

Film Review: Shutter Island

Director Martin Scorsese has created an old-fashioned thriller, in which he openly acknowledges his debt to the likes of Hitchcock. The film is set in the 1950s, and its tropes and imagery hark back to an earlier age of cinema: the protagonists are physically isolated on a forbidding looking island, dramatic weather sets the mood, the hands of the inmates reach out through the bars of the asylum cells.

However, the film is not an exercise in knowing pastiche, more of a faithful homage. And it is fitting, therefore, that I found it enjoyable in a very old-fashioned way – as an exciting and satisfying mystery. Despite the many twists and turns of the plot, it was in no way demanding to follow and I felt that the story was always ‘fair’ to the audience in that none of the twists came out of the blue. They were not predictable, but they were always set up within the context of the story. Twists that come completely out of nowhere can feel contrived, leaving the audience feeling cheated, as though the film they thought they were watching has been tossed aside for the sake of some meaningless cheap shock. In this case, the twists, as good twists should, throw new light on what has gone before, so that, even when everything is turned on its head, the audience still feels they are watching a complete and satisfying film.

Leonardo diCaprio - an excellent and somewhat under-rated actor in my opinion -gives a typically convincing performance in the lead role, and the supporting cast do a good job too, with just the right amount of hamminess on display for the type of film. Everybody looks the part - Mark Ruffalo in particular, as diCaprio’s sidekick, seems to have the perfect face for the 1950s - and the cinematography is stunning and atmospheric.

Despite touching on some interesting points about power, exploitation and the nature of madness, it never explores any of these ideas further than they move the plot along. This is not a think piece. It set out to be a thriller and it delivers magnificently – a masterclass in tension, pace and atmosphere.

Film Review: Up in the Air

George Clooney, despite being one of the most A-listed men on the planet, seems to spend very little of his time making blockbusters. He manages to maintain hugely mainstream status, while choosing roles in offbeat or unusual films, and supporting projects that he believes in (see: Oh Brother Where Art Thou?, Good Night and Good Luck, etc) With this in mind, I had high hopes for this quirky comedy about a businessman who spends most of his life flying from one part of America to another.


In reality, the film did not turn out to be anything special, although it was well-acted and amusing. Clooney is charming and charismatic as Ryan Bingham, who loves his life on the road and eschews emotional ties, and his skills as a comic actor are also on display. Although the film is never hilarious, there are plenty of laughs to be had. Telling little details of Ryan’s life are revealed as he shows off his frequent flyer cards to fellow business traveller and occasional lover Alex (Vera Farmiga), or demonstrates his methods for a quick and painless transit through an airport to the new recruit he reluctantly trains (Anna Kendrick). Kendrick also gives a good performance as Natalie, the overly ambitious young employee with big ideas that threaten Ryan’s way of life.
The film is directed with a light touch and neatly ducks a number of narrative clichés, but it lacks the emotional punch to really make a lasting impression. The characters go through mostly plausible emotional journeys but somehow it is hard to care deeply about them. There is a confusing scene in which Natalie confesses her insecurities to the other two main characters, explaining how she feels under pressure to ‘have it all’ – to be successful in her career but also to be married with children by a certain age. It isn’t clear whether the scene is being played for laughs, or whether these deeply stereotypical concerns are a serious attempt at character development. However, elsewhere I felt the humour was well-pitched.

This is a gentle and entertaining film that is smart enough to resist easy answers or a neat ending, but in emotional terms I felt it didn’t quite get off the ground.

DVD review: Doubt

This is a hugely impressive film with some of the most masterful acting I have seen in a long time. It was adapted by director John Patrick Shanley from his own stage play and there are certainly signs of its theatrical roots – a limited number of characters and locations, an emphasis on dialogue and character, heavy on words rather than action. Two important verbal clashes between Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman’s characters lasted 10 or 15 minutes each, both taking place within the confines of a single office, and the majority of the scenes are similarly wordy, slow-paced, and in-depth. However, none of this is to the detriment of the film. Instead, it draws the audience into the claustrophobic confines of its world – a Catholic school in New York, 1964 – and makes its central dilemma hit home all the harder.


At the film’s heart is a titanic battle of wills between fearsomely straight-laced nun Sister Aloysius (Streep) and popular priest Father Flynn (Hoffman). Sister Aloysius suspects Father Flynn of molesting a young altar boy, the school’s first black pupil. With no conclusive proof, and expecting no help from the male-dominated church hierarchy, she sets out on a personal crusade to get him to confess. But is she merely motivated by her intense dislike of him and his modernising ways?

Shanley refuses to give any easy answers. He has reportedly never told anyone whether Father Flynn was guilty other than Hoffman and the actor who took the part in the stage version. The audience sympathises most fully with the character of Sister James (Amy Adams), and innocent young nun who finds herself torn between Sister Aloysius’ certainty and her own unwillingness to judge anyone without proof. Father Flynn is in many ways the more appealing character – he is in favour of a more open and approachable church and encourages Sister James in her kind-heartedness and love of teaching, while Sister Aloysius terrifies the children and bans sweets, ballpoint pens and ‘pagan’ songs such as Frosty the Snowman. Yet there is something admirable about her fierce dedication to her beliefs, her determination to be the lone voice standing up against what she believes to be a terrible crime. Much of the film’s power comes from Shanley’s refusal to give closure on this awful dilemma.

Special mention should also be given to Viola Davis, who gives a terrific performance in her single scene as the mother of the boy at the centre of the scandal. Her reaction to Sister Aloysius’ suspicions is one of the most heart-breaking parts of the film

Film Review: The Road

As a fan of Cormac McCarthy’s bleakly beautiful book, I was always going to have high standards for John Hillcoat’s film of The Road, but in the end I was very impressed. The film didn’t quite have the same horrifying impact as the book, but I would imagine that no film could manage that.

Visually, in particular, Hillcoat has done an excellent job, and the cinematography somehow echoes very precisely the tone of McCarthy’s descriptions of the blasted landscape of a post-apocalyptic America. The film uses a subtly expressive palette of greys and washed out colours to make the country’s bare trees and abandoned buildings suitably forbidding, but eerily beautiful.

A haggard-looking Viggo Mortensen gives a great performance as the father trudging across this landscape, trying to keep himself and his young son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) alive in a world where little hope is left. The two of them carry the vast majority of the screen time unaided, and this is, essentially, a film about parenthood, about the terror of bringing children into a harsh world and then struggling to protect them.

Smit-McPhee also gives a good performance, as the son who gives the story its moral heart, showing how a lifetime of trusting no one has worn him out, and shaken his belief that the pair of them really are “the good guys”. Flashbacks show how the boy’s mother (Charlize Theron) gave up hope in the face of a future that seemed without meaning, and the audience can certainly sympathise with her despair. But, for the father, his son is enough to redeem his continuing existence.

The Road is a thought-provoking and disturbing film, which will linger long in the mind after watching.